The SEC won't be able to fully reclaim conference supremacy unless it ends the Big Ten's three-year title run and hoists the national championship trophy on Jan. 25 in Las Vegas. But the conference is off to a great start in 2026. With the majority of Power Four vs.
Power Four nonconference action in the books, the SEC stands above its peers with a 10-2 mark against the other power conferences. The league's early performance is reflected in this Week's AP Top 25, which includes 10 of the SEC's 16 teams. As the SEC moves from an 8-game league schedule to a 9-game conference schedule, its strong showing during Weeks 1-3 could take on increased significance come selection time for the College Football Playoff.
The league's average ranking of 24.5 in this week's CBS Sports 138 stands in contrast to the Big Ten's average ranking of 40.28, highlighting a strength-of-schedule disparity between the conferences. How the CFP selection committee handles SEC teams that finish 6-3 or 7-2 in a treacherous league will be a major storyline leading up to Selection Sunday. SEC advocates will be touting the league's strength of schedule.
After such a strong start against Power Four competition, it's hard to argue against the SEC as the nation's deepest league. But can it be the last league standing for the first time since Georgia's 2022 title? AP Top 10 teams (5): No. 1 Texas, No. 2 Georgia, No. 4 Ole Miss, No. 8 Alabama, No. 10 LSUNational title contenders | +3000 or better odds at DraftKings (6): Texas (+620), Georgia (+650), Ole Miss (+1500), LSU (+1600), Alabama (+2500), Florida (+4000)Average ranking in CBS Sports 138: 24.5 vs.
Big Ten: 2-1Overall: 10-2G6 losses: 0 While Texas' historic Week 2 comeback win over No. 1 Ohio State takes the cake for best victory of any team in college football so far this season, it's just one of several that have positioned the SEC well entering the heart of conference play. Results such as Mississippi State's dominant Week 2 win at Minnesota and Missouri's Week 2 victory at Kansas can be easy to overlook on a busy college football weekend. But they contribute to the SEC's collective strength.
The margins here are slim. What if Ohio State didn't squander a 20-point lead against the Longhorns? What if NC State's stunning last-second choke at Vanderbilt didn't happen?
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